Environmentally Friendly Gadgets 7 eco tech items for Earth Day

You can’t go anywhere these days without seeing a stamp of “green” or “eco-friendly.” Green is the new black, after all. But sometimes going green can put you in the red (okay, my last pun for serious). While I am a huge proponent of giving back to this amazing earth, sometimes environmentalism is downright expensive! Like all new technology, prices on sustainable items will eventually come down. Then, the cost benefit will tip the scale and the planet will smile. From light bulbs to toilets, here are some gadgets and appliances that should be on your green radar for Earth Day.

I called on the maven of cleaning to do the testing on this one: my mom. As an overly critical consumer, mother of four and grandma of two, she’s been known to laugh in the face of name-brand vacuums. Here’s her take: Two green thumbs up. It’s a lightweight, easy-moving suction machine. After just four hours of charging on the lithium ion battery (with dock, it can plug right into the wall), the vacuum will run cord-free on only 100 watts of electricity, as opposed to a standard vacuum, which uses 1,200 watts. The charge lasts 40 minutes—enough to clean an entire four-bedroom home—and it weighs less than 8 pounds, assembles in two seconds, has soft wheels that won’t jack up the floor and comes with super-maneuverable 28-degree steering. Plus, it’s got some serious suction power for tile or carpet. The dust-free compartments filled with crap we didn’t even know existed. And if you want to talk nerdy, you can connect the included “Data Bridge” cable to your computer’s USB port to see how many calories you’ve burned and how much electricity you’ve saved. Maybe that’s a little ridiculous (what’s next, an accompanying app?), but the bottom line is, the thing works. (Save $25 off $199 sitewide at Brookstone.)

I’m kind of tired of hearing about this whole LED light bulb subject. On the one hand, the LED bulbs last nearly 23 times longer and use less electricity. On the other hand, they’re so expensive! It’s hard to choose a $13 LED bulb over the 25 cent one sitting right next to it. The key is, you have to amortize. With LED, you are saving money long-term, especially if you plan to remain in your home for a while. Plus, CFL bulbs contain mercury, aren’t dimmable and, in my opinion, don’t look as good. With competition and time, the cost will come down even more on LED. For traditional light bulbs, one reliable option is the Cree standard 60-watt ($13), or get dramatic with a Torchstar package ($17.99 on Amazon.com), which comes with a color-changing, mood-setting LED bulb and remote control. While the colorful bulb won’t be as bright (in short, much lower lumens), it’s still a cool deal! (Get Home Depot coupons.)

Just flushing is so 2010. Before we, yes, plunge into the details of this amazing toilet, some facts: Older, inefficient toilets waste more than 1.6 million gallons of water a year. More than two-thirds of the states in the U.S. anticipate water shortages in 2013. A shortage of water is expected to impact more than 1.8 billion people by 2028. Want to know how can you help? With Kohler’s Numi toilet. Yes, this toilet has ambient lighting and a touch-screen remote. It also streams music, automatically puts the seat down and should be filed under “gadgets for the 1 percent.” But the Numi also uses 20 percent less water than the standard 1.6-gallon toilet. And while there are cheaper options for lower gallon per flush than the Rolls Royce of toilets, let’s all agree this thing is pretty sweet. (Get Amazon coupons.)

This is an easy go-to gadget that’s remained popular on-the-go for good reason. There is absolutely no reason anyone should be buying bottled water. It’s wasteful and expensive. Americans spend more than $15 billion a year on bottled water, which in turn contributes about 38 billion plastic water bottles to landfills. Bobble, a portable, stylish and colorful bottle that comes with a replaceable filter, is doing its part to save the planet. One Bobble filter can replace 300 bottles of water. If you travel and/or use the gym a lot, you should start a Bobble collection. (Get $5 off $50 sitewide at Target.)

Even extreme outdoor athletes turn to tech. I was working on a piece for ESPN, showcasing Andy Lewis and slacklining, which is kind of the intersection between a tight rope and a trampoline (you might remember him from the Super Bowl halftime performance a couple of years ago with Madonna). Lewis spends a lot of time in nature, slacklining between mountains and such, and he relies on a solar-powered kit to quickly charge his cell phones and other gadgets. But solar powering is not just for the extreme at heart. It’s also great for those of us with our feet on the ground to have around in case of emergency, whether it’s in our car or on a hike. The kits are lightweight and allow you to stay charged wherever you go. (Get REI coupons.)

I have the early version of this, and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty sleek. The bladeless fans can be used in all seasons with the touch of a button. According to Dyson, the energy-efficient fan can lower bills for heating (30 percent) and cooling (20 percent) when used in tandem with heating or air conditioning (respectively). (Get 15% off $100 sitewide Macy’s.)

Ready to get those legs in shape? Ditch the car, buy an ELF. ELF is a hybrid electric car, technically classified as a bicycle, and it’s powered by you and the sun (or an optional electric lithium ion motor). Even the body of the car/bike/pedal machine is worthy of praise: LED lighting on the brakes, headlights and turn signals and 45 percent recycled aluminum body. While it’s a little hefty at 112 pounds (you can’t exactly carry it upstairs), garage owners will feel good parking it there, with the knowledge that they’re getting a whopping 1,800 miles for the “energy equivalent” of one gallon of gas. Funded on Kickstarter, deliveries of the unit have already begun.

RetailMeNot is a registered trademark of RetailMeNot, Inc. Merchant trademarks are the property of the respective merchant and their presence does not necessarily mean that RetailMeNot, Inc has an affiliation with the merchant.